Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated IOCL’s oil refinery at Paradip in Odisha Sunday afternoon. Dedicating to the nation Indian Oil Corp’s Rs 34,555-crore refinery, PM Modi said the government is targeting reduction in oil import dependence by 10 per cent by 2022 by creating policy environment that supports raising domestic output as well as by mixing bio-fuels like ethanol in auto fuels. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Governor SC Jamir were present at the inauguration ceremony.

“For the development of the country, we all – citizens, bureaucracy, industry and policy makers, have to give birth to such a culture where projects start on time, progress within the scheduled time, and finish within the pre-decided time so that country gets the benefit, the benefit comes before scheduled time,” he said.

Earlier in the day he inaugurated the new campus of National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Jatni on the outskirts of the state capital Bhubaneswar. Post the event he held an interaction with the students and faculty members of NISER.

“Our priority should be to make science and technology affordable to the masses with zero-effect and zero-defect,” he said adding that it should not have any adverse impact on environment and be free from side effects.

Giving a call to infuse ‘scientific temper’ among students, the Prime Minister urged the authorities of NISER to hold a periodical interaction with science teachers in schools and young students.

“Everybody engaged in research may not get a Nobel Prize, but the real award for them is to make their invention useful for the common people,” he said after inaugurating the new campus of the autonomous government institute run by the Department of Atomic Energy.

Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister offered prayers at the 12th century Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri. Accompanied by priests and local BJP leaders, PM Modi spent more than 30 minutes inside the temple and entered the sanctum sanctorum to seek blessings of the Lord.

“This is the first visit of Modi to the temple after becoming Prime Minister. Earlier before the 2014 general elections, Modi had vowed to come here again if his desires are fulfilled. As he has become prime minister, Modi came to express his gratitude to the Lord,” a priest accompanying him told the news agancy.

After his visit to Puri, PM Modi left for Paradip to inaugurate IOCL’s Rs 35,000 crore refinery where he addressed a public meeting.